Improvement in piston-packings



UNITED S ATES To'all-whom it may conccrn: Be it known that I, CHARLES S. BARRY, of 1 Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Piston-Pack- 7 ing; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, vand exact description of the construction and operation of the same, i reference being had to the annexed drawingsmaking a part of this specification, and to the letters and fi gures of reference marked thereon. Figure 1 of the drawings is a representa tion of-a piston with my improved packing and-a part of surrounding steam-cylinder in section by a top view. Fig. 2'is a vertical central section of the same.

ted and ground together; so that their joint 6 is steam-tight, and which'are fitted very tight- 1y between the piston B and follower 0. These and G, opposite each other, andopeningj in oppositedirections to admit steam from either 'sideof'thepiston into the space btweeiithe said rings. A passage for the steam to the [valve-seat F is provided by a depression, f, on p the cover E, and a similar depression, g, ad- '3 mits the steam, on the other side of the piston, V I to the valve-seat G. The said two valve-seats l are closed by two valves, f g, which are fastened to both ends of a spiral spring, H, and work without friction, because they have no guides to slide in or on. The hole, which incloses'valve-seats, valves,'and spring, has a lateral opening into the space between the r in g D and cover E. The steam-packing proper consists of a doubly-sloped wedge-rin g, I, an

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.

May '10, 1873.-

M 'invennenmates to self-amnesia g pack and concentric cover E, which are'nicely fit rings are provided with two valve-seats, E

PATENT FFE CHARLES s. BARRY, on rnovmnncs, hona 1m MPROVWENT m PlSTON-PAK'INGS. 5

meat amam 8,1873";"applicationnled 7.

upper packing ring, K, andga lower packingring, L, and corresponding breakfipint; rings 70 l, constructed according tov principles well known to machine-builders. I'The; wedge-rin g I is kept in position, when the steam-engine is at rest, by springs i, which expand it, and thereby,.with'the aid of the double slope on the wedge-rin'g,expand also the packing-rm gs K and L, with their break-joint rings 10 and l, and form hereby a packing against their upper and lower hearings in the incasementrings D and E, as well as a packing against the inner circumference of the steam-cylinder. This packing is only sufficiently strong when aided by steam-pressure acting on the backs or inside surfaces of the'rings K, I, and L,

'Ywliich'is' cafifs'd livtliesteaiii admitted through N the-passages f andg and through the valveseats F and G into the space lett behind the said rings for that purpose. The tension ofthe spring H creates a difierence of pressure inside the piston from that outside of it, and

forms the means of regulating the pressure within the steam-packin g. The sectional shape of the break-joint rings k and l is wed ge-like,

pointing or tapering toward the outside, which 7 serves to keep them from slipping out of their places when the piston is inserted into or removed from the cylinder.

Byinclosing the packing-rings K L with their adjuncts into a separate 'incasement, as

that formed by the rings D and E, I obtain an independent and movable packing,-which, for construction and repair, ofl'ers important facilities, The piston, according to the old method of construction, after being roughly finished, is fastened to the piston-rod, the fol "lowef'fiistened to it,"'and the side bearings finished and ground together with the rings. This is the most delicate job in steam-fitting,

and requires great care and time; and often,

when the packing-rings are not tightenough, after being ground, the steam-joint between piston and follower has to be overhauled and the grinding repeated. The grinding of my steam-joints has to be done only once, and the wear of thesame does not subject them to such frequent repairs as is the case with steampistons of ordinary construction; The repair or exchange of the packingrings does not no cessitate the removal of the piston from'the' x. new:

. cylinder and its detachment from cross-head,

connecting-rod, &c.; but by simply remoying the follower, I am able to withdraw the whole.- packing with all its bearings. The" steampacking above described is self-adjusting; the steam=pressure, being diminished by condensation, causes the steam in the cylinder to open the valves and balance the difference by fresh'supplies.

It is hardly necessary to mention that the "several rings I K L kl may each one be made of'seyeral pieces. *Thet'alve-seats. E and G are screwed into the cover E and ring D, and,

by screwing them closer together or further apart, the tensidn of theaspring H is'ehanged,

"and, e'onsequently,the pressureof the steam behind the packing-rings.

v .1. The conibinfition of the L-shaped ring, l) and cover E, inclosing the packing-rings .K L, the joint-break rings k I, and the wedge-ring I, the spring'H, the valves f g, the valyeseats F G, and the steam-ways f g, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the wedge-expanding ring I, the packing-rings K L, and the joint-break rings k l, forming a universal pis- 3 piston, when operated either by steam or by spring power, substantial} as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have .of two witnesses.

- CHARLES S. BARRY. Witnesses:

II. C. WATERS,

- What I claim as new, and desire to sec'ure by Letters Patent, is-

0. E. BIGELOW.

ton-peeking between the para'ilel bearings of hereunto subscribed my name in the, presence 

